Tool Tuesday :: ProGold ProLink Chain Gauge

With today’s high-end bikes and super lightweight components, preventative maintenance is more important than ever. One of the easiest things you can do is monitor your chain for wear. The ProGold ProLink Chain Gauge offers an inexpensive, simple way to check your chain and extend the life of your drivetrain.

The theory behind chain wear is that you want to replace your chain before it is worn to the point that is has started to prematurely wear out your cassette. Once your cassette is worn, a new chain won’t mate well and will skip under load. The goal is to go through 2-4 chains before you are forced to replace your cassette. Not only is it less expensive to purchase multiple chains instead of multiple cassettes, doing so also extends the life of your chainrings and derailleur pulleys.

The ProLink Chain Gauge is a simple tool that allows you to see how much your chain is worn. Other chain checkers only indicate if your chain is in good or bad shape, while the Chain Gauge has a numerical scale that shows you the actual amount of wear. A reading of 75% indicates moderate wear and is a good time to replace your chain. Once your chain measures 100%, however, there is a high possibility that your cassette has also started to wear and won’t work with a new chain.

GBL Last Word- Whether you are mechanically inclined or not, for less than $20 the ProLink Chain Gauge is a tool all cyclists should own. It is very easy to use, takes less than a minute, and won’t even get your hands dirty!